Jethro Tull questions...

I used to see these guys whenever they played NY or Boston starting with Aqualung and up through the Stormwatch tour. I think that the place to start understanding Tull is not Tull at all, but Rashaan Roland Kirk, the primary influence on Ian Anderson's flute playing. The over blowing, the talking, the very structure of the solos all add up to Anderson channeling Kirk. So, the real place to start is Kirk's album, "I Talk With The Spirits" on Mercury/Limelight LM/LS86008. Listen to the first track, "Seranade To A Cukoo" now it's time to put on "Bouree" by Tull. Eureka! It all comes into clear focus. I would then work through "This Was" and "Stand Up" followed by "Benefit". It's too bad that you can't see the stage show for "Thick As A Brick" as it is a master stroke, visually, at least, their high water mark, and clearly conceived as an audio/visual experience.

The Chrysalis remaster of Thick as a Brick sounds excellent; strangely, the remaster of Aqualung sounds like there are pillows over the speakers. Go figure.

Aqualung will probably never sound good since it was recorded badly. Heavy Horses is one of the best sounding albums as is Crest of A Knave, Broadsword and Stand Up. The MoFi releases are better than the new remasters, at least the ones I have are.

Well all of you have beaten me to it.. same comments on Stand Up, Benefit, and the RRK flute comment by Viridian.
I have 'em all on vinyl so I couldn't tell you what to buy on CD..

Crest of the Knave , man I am telling you Crest of the Knave!